Home Forums Discussions General Discussion Poweredge 2650 server

Hey everyone. I have a particular tech problem. I run a small clinic in rural TN. It is basically not a profit based clinic for me as a provider but serves to keep 5 jobs in the community. It also gives a small rural area medical support as there is a full time PA there. I am faced with expanding to 6 treatment rooms with a total of almost 10 - 15 computers running amazing charts. I now run peer to peer from an office computer and back up to a notebook drive. I have seen these poweredge servers on ebay for pretty reasonable prices. Are these servers worth any thing at all? What amount of memory will we need and what should I be looking for if we get one of these servers? Where can I go for info on how to set the system up? (I would set it up on a part time basis until we take the whole system live using nites and weekends to save some douugh as any set up money would be personal money.) Are there any other tips of suggestions? Should we just go with a upgraded peer to peer model with a high grade optiplex vs a server? Oh, by the way, I am not computer savy at all but can read and follow instructions, lol.

thanks in advance
g

I have purchased a lot of servers and electronic supplies from eBay. Ij presently used a compaq dl380 w dual xeon, 6-8 gig ram, raid with 6 -73 gig discs. I just checked and there is one for about $600. Aside from this you will need windows server software. You'll probably need an it guy to configure this right. I connect about 18 clients and AC works fine. Good luck

George, I am curious. If there is just one full time PA, what do you do with 6 exam rooms and 10+ computers?

Well it is for when I am there as with the PA. I see pts there twice a week and see all the comprehensive medical patients. He generally is seeing little things and fill in the gaps. I will see about 20 - 25 pts these days and he sees about 15 - 20 thus six treatments rooms. My rooms are often tied up for lengths of 30 to 45 min. We have everyone with acess to AC. Although the staff does a poor job in my opinion with documentation everyone has his or her own system. We have a front desk, a manager, 4 treatment rooms, a ma, an appt clerk, my system and my pa's system all having desk top computers. We also have other support staff like nutrition and dentistry that will come in a see pts. We too have a pretty large indigent population. Thus the seemingly enormous setup.

I'm sure you have thought of this, but it seems you certainly deserve some sort of assistance from the community if, as you say, you are pretty much doing this out of a sense of community service. Any industry around that might trickle down some equipment? Anyone at James Quillen who has contacts? They seem pretty plugged in.

You may be able to get new computers through the upcoming meaningful use criteria. More than likely a large percentage of your patients are medicaid, which will reimburse you for costs.

My understanding is there is no time limit how far back these costs go, so you could use this year to recoup prior costs and put that money into better computers. This is my plan at this moment. Then next year I will be able to recoup the cost of the computers I bought this year.

A hell of a lot less than 63K but I really did not expect to get anything, so...

It is a situation where I started out as private practice becuase the NHSC placed me here. The practice I was with went bust but I stayed as my family was nearby and didnt want to uproot two children who are in very good schools. I stayed. It is not a matter of obligation but a sense of service here. I just feel like giving back. I work as a hospitalist and can make a living for my family that way. I stay and serve this community becuase of the many emotional and family ties I have made here. I have not tried private foundations as no time with the full time job and then this as a second seemingly full time enterprise. I just want to give back I guess. So we are just plugging along and God is really good as it seems all our needs are met in the little clinic. If I can do nothing else in this world I feel I can help someone with this little venture. So here I am trying to keep it going to help.

As far as the 2650, and Dell PowerEdge is going to be a good one. As soon as it arrives, I would take it to a local computer shop and have them give it the once over. No sense hooking it up and finding out the motherboard or the onboard video is shot. Or the processor is no good. Personally, I would lease the entire network from Dell.

I would be careful about your desktops. You can a good Lenovo or Dell with 3GB of RAM, the server needs at least 4 (if 32-bit and more if you have 64-bit). If you purchase new, you will have a warranty. The same goes for the server. It's nice to have same day or next day service with a leased or new Dell.

There is also the Microsoft Foundation route, which is basically free.

As to your staff doing things different ways, that is inefficient and unacceptable. Come up with YOUR way, write it down, and THEN have a meeting and get everyone's input. But, everyone needs to be on the same page.

And, make sure if you purchase desktops, DON'T get any home versions.